8 Chapter 8 Who Is This Guy

The fire crackled in the quiet night, as we sat around talking about our lives. I spoke of the times when a great warrior named Alexnder would come to train my brothers and I. The training was rigorous and left us broken and bruised more times than not, but it would be a lie to say I didn't enjoy it. My older brother Cain, however, didn't just enjoy it, he excelled at it. This quickly grabbed my father's attention, resulting in Cain gaining favor over Konrad who was the oldest. Cain would train with Alexander during the day and study battle strategy and politics during the night. It was clear for everyone to see that my father intended for Cain to be his successor in the event something happened to him. From that day onward, until Cain's death, the two were like a man and his shadow.

Marcus spoke after me, telling us how he would run away from his family manor for weeks. He said that during that period he would sleep with different women and drink until he passed out. However though, once he returned his father would beat him, and leave him chained to a wall beneath the manor. His mother would bring him blood every few days so that he wouldn't become a dried-up carcass. Vampires wouldn't die if they didn't have blood, but their bodies would be reduced to a mummified state. Marcus's mother was the only person in his family that he truly cared about, and she was the reason he would even return.

Finally, it was Vera's turn to speak and what she said left Marcus and I wishing she stayed quiet. Vera said that her mother left when she was still a baby due to opium addiction. Her father was talented but lacked the motivation and drive to be successful, which lead to him making a deal with King Belial. After her father's contract came to an end Vera was left all alone with very little money due to her father's spending habits. She came to realize that all the people that claimed to care about her only appeared to do so because of Patxi's reputation. So after he was dragged away, all those people turned their backs on her. She took up odd jobs here and there but in the end, she took her life while laying in a warm bath and placing a small blade on her wrist.

We talked for a few hours before they drifted off to sleep leaving me awake with only my thoughts. How could my father be so blind, Konrad was clearly the one who killed Cain. If Marcus hadn't rescued me from that cell I may be facing my execution soon. The thing I couldn't figure out is how he did it, and on top of that, how was he able to frame me for it. Cain and I always had a good relationship, so it doesn't make sense. It wasn't like I would gain anything from his death, so why would my father think it was me? Realizing that empty theories would get me nowhere, I decided to join Marcus and Vera in the world of dreams.

The morning quickly came, and with my eyes still closed I could hear the beasts of the forest running through the grass, while others leaped across the treetops. The forest was more alive compared to the night before. I finally opened my eyes to see Marcus and Vera still sleeping.

What I didn't expect to see was an old muscular man with long white hair and a beard to match. He had on a sleeveless shirt that revealed his demonic tattoos. The tattoos were weird symbols that went beneath his shirt and down to his fingertips. The power this old man emitted from his body was something I've never felt before, not even from my father. The old man was sitting on a broken log while drinking from a metal cup when he noticed my eyes on him.

"Wake up your friends and follow me." The old man said, as he stood up and began walking away.

What in the hell is going on? Who is this man? Does he work for my father? So many questions ran across my mind as I kicked the feet of my sleeping comrades.

"Wake up, we have to go." I said, while not giving any room for negotiation.

They quickly got up from their bed of grass and dirt and followed behind me, as I followed the old man.

Vera leaned close to my ear and in a sorry attempt to whisper, she asked. "Who is this old man?"

"I have no idea." I replied.

"You children can refer to me as Astaroth" The old man replied after clearly hearing Vera's question. Marcus and I were both in our fifties and Vera couldn't be far behind, but in Hell, we were still classified as children.

"Astaroth? Like The Astaroth? I thought he died with King Lucifer and Lord Beelzebub during The Great War over fifty-thousand years ago." Marcus asked with skepticism in his voice.

Astaroth remained quiet insinuating he didn't want to answer. I knew one thing for sure though, regardless if this man was Astaroth or not he wasn't someone to be trifled with. Right now we could only follow him and see what happens.

"Is everyone able to fly?" Astaroth asked as he turned around, directing his question more towards Vera.

"No, I'm unable to fly." She replied while lowering her head.

"Not a problem child." Astaroth said, as he placed his thumb and index finger to his lips and let out a loud whistle.

After a few minutes passed and nothing happened. I was starting to wonder if anything was going to come of his whistle. That thought was quickly put aside when I heard trees crashing to the forest floor in the distance. I looked to Astaroth to see that he was calm and that he even had a tiny smile on his face.

A second later I could see a grayish eighty-foot-long serpent with red and yellow eyes pushing through the trees. The serpent had wings a quarter of the way down its back that stretched about forty feet from its body. What a massive creature I found myself thinking, as it lowered its head for Astaroth to pet it.

"His name is Nachash, he will take us to where we're going." Astaroth said.

"Which is where?" I couldn't help but ask after we climbed on Nachash's back.

"To train of course." He replied as if I should have known the answer.

All three of us looked at each other with a confused look on our face, as the serpent took flight, knocking branches off of trees in the process.

After about an hour of flying at a speed that should not have been possible, I could see a clearing in the forest. The clearing stretched about three miles in diameter with a medium-sized cabin in the center. The cabin had two small huts located in the back that appeared to be for food and storage. As Nachash landed in front of the cabin we all jumped off of his scaly back.

"I should warn you Astaroth, people are chasing us." I said.

"Ohh, is that right." That was all he said before walking into the cabin. In less than a minute he came out with a large bag slung over his shoulder.

He tossed the bag to Marcus before saying. "Let's head to the waterfall."

Nachash flew off in the direction we just came from after Asraroth cast him a meaningful glance.

Astaroth then pulled Vera in his arms before taking off into the air. Marcus and I quickly followed behind them. It took us about five minutes before we landed in front of a small waterfall. The waterfall flowed onto a large rock from the mouth of a dragon statue.

"This waterfall was created for the sole purpose of tempering the body. It has nine different stages with each stage being twice as strong as the previous one. It may look like water, but depending on the stage it can be hotter than fire or colder than ice. To raise or lower the stage you only have to pull this lever back or forward." Astaroth explained while holding the top of the lever that was next to an old dying tree.

"So what is the first stage like?" Vera asked.

"Why don't you tell me." Astaroth said why motioning his hand towards the large rock.

Vera's eyes grew wide as she wasn't expecting to go first, but seeing as Asraroth's hand was still pointing towards the rock she had no choice. She slowly walked to the waterfall and every so often she would glance back at me silently asking for help.

She made it to the rock and crossed her legs after taking a seat, then placed both hands on her thighs. As the three of us observed Vera in the waterfall we could see her body start to shake around the two-minute mark, but she continued to stay inside. Vaines started popping from her forehead and her muscles began to tighten. It wasn't until about three and a half minutes that she let out a piercing scream before rolling into the water.

Marcus tried to rush to her side, but Astaroth blocked him with his arm. After a brief moment, Vera stood up and started walking to us, dragging her legs through the knee-level water. I wanted to avert my eyes from her dripping wet body but only found myself staring harder. She flung her hair over her left shoulder and began ringing it out. At this point, I was able to regain my composer and could feel Marcus's cold glare on me.